250 The Duke of Wellington, and Domestic Politicx. |^Sept. 



men who care nothing about those violations ; there may be ministers, who 

 find in the tortuousness of their intrigue, a foolish triumph over honour- 

 able and unsuspecting minds. But if ever a nation wept in tears of 

 blood an act of its legislature, England will yet weep the guilt of suffering 

 Popery to pollute her Constitution. With the man who led the way to 

 this offence, the religion of England can allow no alliance. His career 

 may be brief — it will be bitter — and he must be left to run it alone. 



THE CONVERSAZIONE : — N^ II. 



Scene. — A large house, near Hanover Square, 



Dramatis Persons. — Ex^ery body in town. 



First Group. 



Sir Charles Ar — / Cbowing). I am really quite delighted to see your 

 lordship look so well. But what " makes you in Elsineur .''" Are there 

 no charms for your lordship at JMalvern, Cheltenham, Leamington, or in 

 the sylvan retreats of your own paradise, on the banks of the Wye, that 

 you linger thus in the suffocating smoke of London, after the proroga- 

 tion of Parliament ? 



Lord L . You are poetical this evening. Sir Charles. But shall I 



tell you a secret ? 



The Hon. Mr. R — ds. Not in his ear, unless your lordship wishes 

 the town to hear it afterwards. Our friend Sir Charles is such a veteran 

 diplomatist, and has been so long in the habit of making " private and 

 confidential commimi cations," that the moment he receives a good secret, 

 he uses it like a good bill of exchange ; endorses it, " private and confi- 

 dential," and pays it away. 



Lord L . You mean to say, I suppose, that when a fi-iend draws 



vipon his discretion, he accepts the bill, and afterwards dishonours it. 



The Hon. Mr. R — ds. No, my lord ; I protest against your inference. 

 Sir Charles only discounts his own acceptances ; and that, let me tell 

 you, is what very few men can or will do. 



Sir Charles Ar — t. Well, now you have so obligingly settled my way 

 of doing business, perhaps you will be kind enough to let business be 

 done. And to shew you that I am not confined to any particular mode 

 of transacting fresh affairs, will your lordship permit me to draw upon 

 you for the amount of your secret, and at the same time accept it ? 



Lord L . (tales a piece of pajjer from his pocket, writes upon 



it with a pencil, and aferwards gives it to Sir Charles. J There is my 

 secret. 



Sir Charles Ar — t. (reads.) " One month after date, I promise to 

 deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Sir Chai'les Ar^t, or order, two 

 thick octavo volumes, of my own writing, entitled, ' What Has Been !' 

 L — '—. Paj'able at J. IMurray's, Albemarle Sti-eet." 



Omnes. (A buzz of polite applause, such as may be expected from well 

 hred commoners, ivhen a peer aimounces to them that he has written a 

 book.) 



The Rev. Mr. Sm — dl — y. ( Who was standing at the edge of the grmipe, 

 now walks away, repeating to himself these lines : ) — 



What woeful stuff this madrigal would be. 

 In some starv'd, hacknied sonnetteer or me: 

 But let a lord once own the happy lines. 

 How the wit brightens, and the style refines! 



Lord L — — '. Now, Sir Charles, you see why neither Malvern, Chel- 

 tenham, Leamington, nor my own paradise, have had power to with- 



